


Zutara Week 2019

by dhwty_writes



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Getting Back Together, Getting Together, I mean, Light Angst, Zutara Week 2019, what else do you want me to do with these prompts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-19 22:37:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19981678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dhwty_writes/pseuds/dhwty_writes
Summary: Day 1 - GiftsDay 2 - SpeakDay 3 - ShatteredDay 4 - MentorsDay 5 - YouthDay 6 - FoundDay 7 - Easier





	Zutara Week 2019

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Zutara Week 2019!  
> I don't know how many of you read my participation from last year but those of you who did might remember that I wrote the stories so that they can fit in one single universe. Surprise! I did it again.  
> I think that the stories should work on their own (I tried to do so as this year it is pretty mixed up) but the chronological order would be: 1 - 6 - 5 - 7 - 3 - 2 - 4.  
> Oh and I think I should apologize for the light relationship angst that's about to come. But really, what do you want me to do with "Shattered" and "Easier"?   
> The first chapter takes place directly after the Southern raiders episode. Have fun reading!

# Gifts

_“But I am ready to forgive you.”_

The sun had set and the moon bathed the earth in mercury light, clothing the waterbender on the beach in cloth-of-silver. The water danced around her legs, kissing her skin lightly as she guided the waves.

Steps behind her made her stop her movements. “I don’t want to talk, Aang,” she sighed.

“I’m not Aang.” A cold shiver ran down her back as she turned to find herself face to face with Zuko. The darkness clung to him like a second skin, only the burnt side of his face illuminated by the pale light. He cleared his throat awkwardly as she kept silent. “I wondered if you needed something. I- err we missed you at dinner.”

Katara grimaced. “Right.” She stepped out of the water. “I’m sorry. It’s just a lot. Let me guess: Sokka tried to kill you with his cooking and Aang thought some fruits make up a nutritious meal.”

He raised his hand to scratch the back of his head. “Actually, I cooked.”

She looked at him full of surprise. “You can cook?”

“A bit…” He looked to his naked feet buried in sand. “Do you want some? I believe there are some left-overs.”

“I’m good, thanks.” It was weird, standing beside him, so close that she could feel the heat of his body through her clothes.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?”

She snorted. “I am perfectly capable to handle myself.”

“Yeah, I saw that…,” he murmured so quietly that she almost didn’t hear it.

Katara’s blood froze in her veins. Of course. He had seen her. He had seen what she was capable of. The monstrous bending she had sworn to never use again. And yet… “I am not sorry for what I did.”

“Of course you aren’t.” Was that the hint of a smile in his voice?

“It’s okay,” she said without looking up. “You can say it.”

“Say what?”

She raised her eyes to the confused look on his face. “That I took away the dignity of that man when I made him my puppet. That I am everything your schoolbooks made waterbenders out to be. That I’m a monster. That I’m no better than-”

“No better than what?” he interrupted her, fury boiling in his voice. “Azula? Is that what you were going to say?”

She lowered her eyes again, nodding slowly.

“Yeah, you hold up right there!”

“Aang made me swear-! It is not the right thing-! This makes me no better than-!” she stammered incoherently. “I am a _monster_! I never wanted this! Do you even know what I am capable to _do_?”

“Maybe,” he answered. “But would you do it?”

“Apparently!” She could feel the anxiety climbing up her spine, gripping her heart like some freezing hand as she heard sheets of floating ice crashing together in the distance.

“Katara…”

“You saw me!” The temperature kept falling. “I didn’t even flinch!”

“Katara.”

“I bent his _blood_ to my _will_.” It appeared to be raining sea water. How else would there be flowing salty water down her cheeks? “I _almost killed him_!”

“Katara!” he almost screamed. “Look at me right now!” She raised her face to his, eyes red and swollen, cheeks tearstained, but she didn’t care. Let him see her tears. Let him see her weakness. Let him see all of her. He seemed to be studying her face, only inches from her and her skin burned away under his stare. Her skin and her flesh and her bones right to her very core. “Yeah,” he said after a while. “Just like I thought.”

“What?”

“You could never do it.”

“What do you mean?”

“You could never abuse your power.”

She flinched. “How could you know?”

“I grew up with my father. I grew up with Azula.” He pointed to the scar in his face. “You see that? I looked my father right into the eyes before he gave me this. I watched helplessly as my sister was corrupted by him. I watched as her eyes turned cold and loveless and her soul burnt away. And you?” He shook his head. “You are nothing like them. You could never be.”

“Never is a lot of time…,” she answered agonized.

“I trust you, Katara. I trust you with my life”, he said and when she looked up, she knew he was telling the truth.

“Yeah,” she said. “I trust you, too.”

His eyes softened and suddenly he held his arms open, an unspoken invitation she took only too willingly. His arms encompassed her just like earlier this evening on the pier, burning away all her fear, all her worries and giving her hope that everything could be fine. And somehow, when she broke from his hug, she felt better, almost good.

“I think I might take up the offer on the left-overs now,” she said timidly and for a moment the corner of her mouth twitched. The smile he gave her in return shone brighter than the moon.

* * *

Katara sighed when she saw the pile of dishes waiting for her in the kitchen after the rest of their little group had gone to sleep. _Soon it will all be over_ , she promised herself as she got to work. _And all will be back to normal._

“Need some help?” Katara smiled when she heard Zuko’s behind her. A lot of things had changed since they had come to Ember Island. Zuko helping her with the food and dishes was one of them. 

“I would appreciate it.” Zuko took up a towel and began to dry the dishes she washed in comfortable silence.

So many things had changed. And all these changes had brought her to realize some things:

Firstly, Zuko was incredibly helpful. Not only didn’t he complain when she put him to work like Toph or do some tricks that broke the dishes like Aang or do the tasks wrong like Sokka, he actually offered his help. Katara wasn’t sure when she had been offered help the last time. In fact, Katara wasn’t sure if she had ever been offered help by a man before.

Secondly, it was fun to be around Zuko. He had always seemed gloomy and offish, not like someone to make bad jokes and sassy remarks.

Thirdly, Zuko was a good listener. He never seemed to be troubled when she came to him with his problems and their deep talks about politics and war and feelings and such had become an almost nightly affair.

Fourthly, her heart jumped in her chest whenever he was around her. She still wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

And lastly, that there were some things that she didn’t want to go back to normal. Zuko, for example.

“So, the kids are in bed?” she asked jokingly.

“Yeah. And I saw Sokka and Suki sneaking off to the far wing of the house, so better don’t go looking for them.”

Katara wrinkled her nose. “Got that.” She wasn’t dumb. Of course she knew what Sokka and Suki were up to. They were a couple after all, so they were doing… couple-y things. That didn’t mean she liked that they were doing it under her roof. _Spirits, what if Toph catches them!_ The thought gripped her like an icy hand. _Or worse: Aang!_

“What are you thinking about?” he asked her as if he was asking about the weather.

“Nothing,” she answered lost in thought.

He snorted. “Liar.”

She gave him a smile in response. “The kids,” she said teasingly.

“Ah, yeah. They can be a real pain in the ass.”

She smiled as she continued washing the dishes. “Maybe,” Katara answered with a smile. “But I am glad that I have found them.”

Zuko hummed quietly. “Yeah, me too.”

After that they fell to their usual chatter about… well basically everything. When they were done, Katara’s arms were wet from the water, her hair was a mess and her cheeks hurt from laughing. But she felt better.

* * *

The world ended in fire around her and there was nothing Katara could do about.

On their way to the caldera city Zuko had given her clear instructions: That she was in no way to interfere as long as he was alive. If she did he would lose his right to the throne even if they won in the end. But if something happened, if he went down- Neither one of them wanted to think about that particular prospect for very long.

So right now Katara was watching, blue and red flames dancing before her eyes as the two firebenders battled relentlessly.

“No lightning today?” Zuko sneered, “What’s the matter? Afraid I’ll redirect it?” Katara wanted to shout, wanted to warn him not to taunt her but to late – Suddenly the air was cracking with energy and lightning raced towards her.

It all happened so fast. Katara wanted to close her eyes – she didn’t want to see her death coming like this. She wanted to scream – she would be damned if she left this world quietly. She wanted to run – she didn’t want to leave this world at all.

But she couldn’t. She was paralyzed, the lightning traveling towards her way too fast until suddenly it was swallowed by a shadow. A shadow in Zuko’s clothing. With Zuko’s hair. Zuko.

His limp body fell to the ground and for a moment the world stopped turning. Then the lightning burst from his fingertips with a roar.

He groaned and rolled onto his back and Katara’s heart dropped. _Don’t be dead, don’t be dead_ , she thought as she rushed towards him. But before she had quite reached him, blue flames blocked her way.

She slowly turned to a manically laughing Azula who stood on a roof, surrounded by lightning and suddenly all the pieces clicked into place.

It didn’t matter if Aang won. It didn’t matter if she died. The only thing that mattered was to take Azula down.

But for that she had to stop running from Azula’s lightning and hiding behind pillars. She needed a plan and she needed one fast. Spirits, what she would give for Sokka’s brilliance now.

And until she had one she had to continue running, drawing her to some place where she was in the advantage. Katara stumbled onto the grate and collapsed on her knees. The soothing sound of rushing water filled her ears. Water! She looked down at the steady stream and she looked up at some chains dangling idly from a pillar. What kind of people had chains just hanging around? She decided that she didn’t want to know the answer of that.

Instead she rose, with chains in her hands and a plan in mind.

And as Azula tried to conjure another bolt of lightning he called the water to her and froze it around them. Moments later the princess was chained to the grater and she was free to rush to Zuko’s side.

He was still breathing when she reached him. _Thank the spirits_ , she thought as she uncorked her water skin and coated her hand. _Spirits, give me strength_ , she prayed as the water started glowing. _Let him live. The world needs him._ She closed her eyes. I need him.

And finally he opened his eyes, endless pools of molten gold and amber. “Thank you, Katara.” His voice was weak and frail, barely recognizable but for her it was the sweetest sound she had heard in ages.

Tears were welling up in hers. “I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

Together they rose ready to take on the world.

In their short time together they had given many gifts to each other. Respect, forgiveness, friendship, and advice. That night they had given their lives to each other.

And as Sozin’s Comet set and the sun rose in the east, Katara realized that she had given him her heart a long time ago.


End file.
